SNAKES. 67 



6. Tropidonotus annularis. 



Hallowell, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. Philad. 1856, p. 151. 



Scales in nineteen rows ; anal bifid ; occipital shields large and 

 elongate ; eight upper labials, only the fourth touching the eye ; 

 one anterior, three posterior oculars. Back uniform lead-coloured, 

 sides paler, belly white ; deep black, well-defined bands across 

 the abdomen and extending on the sides, each occupying one 

 to two ventral or subcaudal shields. 



a. Adult. Near Ningpo, China. From Mr. Cuming's Collection. 



b. Half-grown. Chikiang, China. From Mr. Fortune's Col- 



lection. 



We add to the above diagnosis : Head narrow ; trunk rather 

 elongate ; tail not distinct, moderate, tapering ; rostral broad ; an- 

 terior frontals triangular, pointed in front, posterior ones rather 

 narrow ; vertical rather elongate ; occipitals long, each pointed 

 behind, and forming together an obtuse angle ; loreal shield 

 nearly square ; six temporals ; only the nine medial rows of 

 scales provided with moderate keels. The black ventral zones 

 on the anterior part of belly entire and uninterupted, on the 

 posterior sometimes broken in the medial line, and the half of 

 one side alternate with that of the other. Length of head f " ; 

 length of tail 4£" ; total length 2'. 



c. Species allied to T. vittatus. 



7. Tropidonotus vittatus. 



Scheuchzer, Phys. Sacr. t. 661. f. 8; Seba, i. 35. 4, ii. 44. 5, 

 and 60. f. 2, 3. Coluber vittatus, Linn. Mus. Ad. Fried, t. 18. 

 f. 2 ; Boddaert, in Nov. Act. Acad. Curios, vii. p. 21 ; Shaw, 

 Gen. Zool. p. 533; Daubenton, Diet. Encycl. Erpet.; Lacep. 

 Quadr. Ovip. Serp. ii. p. 300 ; Latr. Rept. iv. p. 1 75 ; Daud. 

 Rept. vii. p. 330 ; Russell, hid. Serp. ii. t. 35. Natrix vittata, 

 Merr. Tent. p. 119. Tropidonotus vittatus, Boie, Isis, 1827, 

 p. 535; Schleg. Ess. ii. p. 318 ; Dum. Sf Bibr. vii. p. 600. 



Scales in nineteen rows; upper labials nine. Above whitish, 

 with three or five black longitudinal stripes, the middle one 

 being much narrower than those on the sides ; belly white, each 

 plate deeply margined with black. 



a. Adult. China. Old Collection. 



b, c. Adult. Hong Kong. Presented by J. C. Bowring, Esq. 

 d-h. Adult and young. Java. Presented by J. C. Bowring, Esq. 

 i. Adult : tail injured. Java. From Mr. Brandt's Collection. 

 k-m. Adult. India. Old Collection. 



